


Stolen Moments

by okama



Category: Fire Emblem: If | Fire Emblem: Fates
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Pre-Relationship, Rating for chapter 11 only, Snippets, mostly anyway
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-16
Updated: 2016-11-27
Packaged: 2018-06-02 13:41:25
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 11
Words: 11,252
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6568516
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/okama/pseuds/okama
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Brief scenes between a princess and a thief.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. pairing up

**Author's Note:**

> This is basically a dumping ground for the small ideas I've had for these two that didn't really go with anything I've written/am writing atm. Featuring female!Kamui for a change (and to see if I could write these two like this), and Bow Knight!Zero because that's actually what I make him in my playthroughs.  
> Starts off post-A rank conversation, though eventually they'll end up together. Mostly fluff, but you KNOW that some angst will worm its way in eventually. Oh well. Though technically unconnected, these can be read in order to make a story.

Kamui ran along the edge of the woods, trying to avoid the enemy as best as she could while also trying to cross the entire field. If she could get a better look at the battle, she would be able to work out the best strategy... but once again a reanimated corpse blocked her way. She swung her sword and cursed as it wasn't enough to knock it back, but before she could prepare to block the return blow, an arrow flew over her shoulder and struck the creature down.

“Lady Kamui, what's the rush?” She turned around and saw Zero behind her, grinning from up on his horse as he slung his bow back his saddle. “You were running like a demon just before; I could barely keep up.”

“Oh, I'm trying to get to... the top of the hill over there,” Kamui said, struggling to bring her breathing under control. “Need to see the... whole fight. If we can find the weak area, this will... be over much quicker.”

“That's quite a distance by foot, do you fancy a lift? You can watch my back for me, it's a little hard to catch these bastards coming up from behind; kill two birds with one stone and all that.” The outlaw moved his horse closer, reaching out his hand.

Kamui took it and was quickly swung on behind him, and she barely had time to grab hold of Zero's back before the horse bolted forward, easily outpacing the enemy that had tried to corner them.

When they reached a small river and Zero had to pause to coax his steed over it, Kamui spotted a a pair of axe fighters come up behind them. She quickly shouted a warning to Zero, who spun them around to dodge the first strike while Kamui blocked the other. A critical hit by Zero's own sword felled one creature, and they took the opportunity to slip away as the remainig fighter panicked. Kamui was marvelling on how well they worked together when a hand reached back to tug her arms back to Zero's waist.

“Hold on tight, milady, we're almost there,” Zero yelled over his shoulder as he urged the horse on, taking a hard turn to avoid a magic user's strike, and Kamui had to pull herself right up against his back to keep from slipping.

As the wind pricked at her eyes, she closed them and thought over Zero's words earlier. To have actually come up to her to ask for help... he really must be starting to trust her now. Kamui felt a wide smile cover her face at the thought, and she turned her face as if to hide it. Except that as plastered to Zero's back as she was, she couldn't really do that.

It was a broad back. Warm too, through the cloak he still kept from his old class. It smelled like cinnamon and pine. Comforting.

“Milady, we're here. I know it's sad, but we must part ways – I've spotted Odin off to the side and he probably needs to be rescued.”

It was more the rumble from within Zero's chest that made Kamui sit up in surprise than his words, and she felt a small blush cover her face as she slipped off the horse's back. She patted the mare's shoulder as she looked up at him. “Sorry, I was distracted. Thank you for your assistance.”

“Clearly.” Zero smirked down at her, took her hand and brushed a kiss over the knuckles. “Always a pleasure, next time you need an escort you know who to call.”

Luckily Zero had already galloped off to his fellow retainer before Kamui's face got any redder. Apparently trusting her more didn't mean he would flirt any less.

 

 


	2. changing class

 

“It might take me some time to find tomes you'll be able use; they'll be buried at the back of the shelves.” Leo made his way to the back of his room, looking over the many, many bookshelves he had. “Hope you don't mind waiting.”

Kamui smiled at her brother's words, leaning against the table and making sure not to knock anything over. “Yes, I'm quite aware you're proficient in magic, and probably haven't touched any starter books in years.”

“T-That's not... I wasn't,” Leo looked back over at her, his face flushed. “I wasn't trying to boast.”

“I know, Leo, but you're so cute when you're flustered.” Kamui's smile slid into a grin as he scowled at her and turned back to look for the beginner tomes she had requested. She had recently started to try her hand at magic, as many of those in the army had decided to change things up. Camilla was currently going further into dark magic herself while her drake had a well-earned rest, and Felicia and Elise had traded weapons and uniforms.

Kamui's own armour had gone under some upgrades, and the black sheen of the metal plating was something she was quite pleased with. Of course, she had already messed up the bottom of her cape, but she would get around to fixing that. Or Jakob would finally lose his temper and do it himself. It was using a fire tome too high-level for her that caused the damage, actually – hence why she was in her younger brother's quarters asking for some practice ones to start off with.

A knock on the door caught her attention, and as Leo called out 'come in' from behind some chest or other she turned to see who was calling on her brother. It was Zero, his head bowed slightly as he entered. He raised his head, mouth open to announce himself, but when he caught sight of Kamui he paused.

“Lady Kamui, good afternoon. I thought I heard Lord Leo's voice...?”

“Here, Zero-- ah, damn,” Leo's voice carried over the sound of books and trinkets falling to the floor. “I'll be a minute, make yourself comfortable.”

Zero closed the door behind him, and slowly walked over to where Kamui sat upon the table. His head tilted as he looked her over, eyebrow raised. “That's a new look, milady. Any reason for the change?”

“Oh, I'm trying out using tomes, so Camilla got me this armour which has more magic resistance imbued in it.” Kamui looked down at herself, trying not to fiddle with the cape she had just been thinking about. “I'm still getting used to how it fits, and I've already damaged it, but...”

She glanced back up to see Zero still looking her over. His expression was blank, but she still felt like she was being assessed somehow, and she forced herself to stay still.

Finally, Zero looked back at her face and gave a smile. “It looks good.”

“... good?” She had been waiting for a remark more... judging or salacious, so she was a little off balance.

“Yes. The reinforcements look well-done, and the extra resistance will be important if you're going into using magic. It's a good choice.” He glanced over her one last time before giving her a sly grin. “Plus, it still makes your legs look like they go on for days. It suits you.”

 _There_ was the comment she was expecting. She sighed as she grinned back. “Your honesty is always appreciated, Zero. I don't recall if I said it before, but your change in armour isn't a bad choice either – you should show off your arms more often. Perhaps lose the cloak completely.”

“You would have me part from my beloved cloak? Such cruelty,” Zero cried out, clinging his cloak around him as his eye shone jovially. “But for my lady, I shall consider it. What would you have me do with it?”

He leaned towards her, a hand stretched out. He was acting so much like Odin right now that Kamui was struggling not to burst out laughing. “I would have it as a gift. I might use it to fix my cape, and mend the burnt ends.”

“You would rend it to pieces, and my heart along with it? Oh, the sadism, it rivals my own,” Zero moaned, moving to sit next to her. “We'll make a proper dominatrix out of you yet. Especially in that get-up.”

Kamui finally laughed then and opened her mouth to reply, when the sound of Leo clearing his throat made her turn to see him standing nearby, a couple of books in his hands and an unimpressed look on his face.

“If you two are quite done...?” Kamui blushed slightly as Zero moved back and stood to attention for his lord, a smirk on his face. Leo sighed and passed the tomes to her. “Here – start with these two, and once you're comfortable with them come by again and I'll get some others out. If you're still having trouble Nyx would be a good person to ask for training, she's very patient.”

“Thank you, Leo, I appreciate it.” Kamui gathered them to her chest and gave Leo a quick hug. “Come by my loft when you have the time, okay? I was going to stay longer but you clearly have business with Zero.”

“Yes, I do,” The prince spared a withering glace at his retainer before nodding at her. “I'll let you know. See you at dinner.”

Kamui said goodbye to Zero, who was still grinning, and closed the door behind her. She was going to walk away when she overheard Leo saying, “Is there something I should know, Zero?”

“Well, we were going to be discussing the next mission you had for me, but--”

“You know that's not what I mean right now.” Kamui leaned back towards the door, determined to listen to what they were saying. “You and Kamui, is there something I should know?”

“No, milord,” Zero replied, his voice harder to hear due to his lower timbre. “We were just playing around.”

“'Playing around',” Leo repeated, sounding unconvinced. “You play around with people plenty, but they rarely get to have a turn themselves. How long have you trusted Kamui enough to be that relaxed around her?”

Zero took so long replying that Kamui first thought that she must have missed his response. “When, I wonder... for long enough that I no longer remember exactly when I first did, I suppose. How curious. Perhaps she's put a spell on me... do you know if she's lying about being new to magic?”

“If only. You should have seen Xander's face when she set herself on fire the first time she touched a tome. Anyway, keep in mind that she _is_ my sister, and I will intervene if you push too far. Or if she does, I suppose; she does have that habit of being... over-friendly.”

Zero laughed at that, though his response was too muffled for her to hear, and after that Leo started talking about the mission that was mentioned, so Kamui carefully moved away and made her way back to her own room. She felt a bit guilty about eavesdropping, but hearing Zero's comments caused a warm feeling to start building in her chest, and she was sure she had a silly smile on her face.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I went and read some of Zero's localisation lines, to see what his voice was like in the english version; he seems a bit more playful and not quite so... intense, so I think the way I'm writing him here kind of works? A shame they had to lose some of his more heart-wrenching lines from the amie stuff, though.


	3. strengthening bonds

  
It's been a while since Kamui had invited Zero up to her loft; she had put the invitation note on his door this morning, but had only received a reply after lunch. She resisted trying to clean the room up, since she had never bothered before (and had endured sly comments about her lack of proper princess habits), and went back over the tea. It may have been the third batch she had brewed, but she wasn't really counting – she just didn't want it to be too terrible.

A soft knock called her from her fussing, and she went to the door. Zero stood there with an easy, though tired-looking, grin on his face. “Afternoon, milady. It's been a while.”

“Come in, come in,” Kamui stepped away from the door so that he could enter, and closed it behind him. “Did you want me to take your cloak?”

“Hm...? No, no, it's fine,” Zero moved towards the table and chairs, slowly sitting down. He looked back at where Kamui was standing, his grin morphing into a smirk. “What's this, you seem nervous... was this meant to be a date?”

“What? No, I... no, sorry,” Kamui blushed and went to sit down herself, pouring out the tea. “I was just thinking over things before you got here, and they haven't left me yet.”

“Ooh, anything scandalous? Feel free to tell me everything.” Zero leaned on the table, chin in hand as he took the teacup passed to him.

Since she hadn't really been thinking about anything aside from Zero's arrival, Kamui started talking about anything that came to mind. Training drills that Silas had started up, the expansion to the bathing hall, the slow but steady progression in her magic studies. The whole time Zero watched her and nodded along, but he barely made a comment himself; not even on how she was rambling. He drank the tea but made no comment on the bitterness that even Kamui could taste.

Eventually she stopped and reached out to him, fingers brushing along his shoulder. “Zero... are you okay?”

The fact it took him a moment to even react to her touch made her certain something was not right. “Oh, yes, fine... perhaps a little tired. Apologies, milady, if I'm not as stimulating a conversation partner as usual.”

Frowning, she pulled her chair closer and looked carefully over him. His entire posture was screaming exhaustion, now that she was looking properly, and his clothes were rather more rumpled than usual. “Did you not get much sleep last night?”

“Not exactly, no. I was doing some scouting for Lord Leo, and I only just got back before lunch.”

“What?! Why aren't you in bed right now?” Kamui exclaimed, jumping up and grabbing at his shoulders.

“You summoned me.” Was his reply, as if it was that simple. At her incredulous stare, he added, “I haven't been up here in a while, so I didn't want to miss it.”

Kamui was about to yell at his weird logic when she noticed his face twitch lightly as her hand slid down his left arm. “Zero, are you hurt? Is that why you didn't want to remove you cloak?”

Zero only smiled at her sheepishly, which made her sigh in frustration. “Not only did you _not_ go to bed like a sensible person, you haven't even taken time to change or clean yourself up, have you? Take off the cloak, I have some basic healing tools here.”

Kamui took what was left of the hot water from when she was making tea, moved over to the cabinet by the back wall and filled up the washing basin on top. She dropped in a clean cloth and then looked for the healing cream she had stowed away, along with some small cotton bandages. She heard Zero moving slowly behind her and called out, “Sit on the bed, will you?”

When she had gathered everything she needed and hand wrung out the wet cloth, she turned back and looked over Zero. He had removed his cloak as requested, and was just sitting down on the edge of her bed. Without the outer clothing the droop of his shoulders was much more visible, and now she could see a nasty looking scrape on his left bicep. Zero caught her staring, smiled and looked away. “It's really nothing, Lady Kamui; I would have cleaned it up eventually.”

She only frowned at him once more as she placed the cream and bandages on the mattress. Kneeling on the bed to his side, she carefully wiped at the dirt and dried blood that clung to his skin. Zero didn't flinch, but she could feel his muscles tense under her touch. Cleaning the wound had cause some fresh blood to seep out, so she whispered an apology as she pressed a clean part of the cloth against his arm to stem the flow.

Zero looked back over at her at that, a small smile on his lips. “You're rather good at this healing business. Perhaps you should consider changing into one of those classes.”

“Hmm, I'm not so sure... I think you need a delicate touch for that sort of thing,” Kamui replied, pulling back the cloth to check on the graze. Finding it clean and no longer bleeding, she gathered up the cream and started smoothing it over.

“Your hands are more than gentle enough,” Zero murmured, still smiling at her. “They've always been so.”

Kamui felt her heart clench oddly at his words, so she kept her concentration on what she was doing, finally wrapping a bandage around the injury. “There, keep that on until tomorrow, and it should be fine.” When there was no answer, she looked up and saw that Zero was still looking down at her, though his gaze had gone unfocused. She could see that his eyelid was drooping more than usual, and there were creases under his eye showing that he really needed to sleep. “You know, you can rest here if you like. You look ready to drop unconscious at any second.”

“Hmm, only if you join me,” Was Zero's sly answer, but while he turned away he made no real move to get up.

Worried, Kamui placed her hand on his cheek to tilt his head back to her. “Seriously, though. You look exhausted. No one will come by here until after dinner, you can sleep easy.”

For a moment Zero just looked at her, and then let out a sigh as he shifted his head, almost seeming to nuzzle into her palm. Kamui watched him as he finally got him, stretching his arms out carefully as he slowly walked over to collect his cloak. “Thank you for the offer, milady, but I don't want to impose on you any further. I promise I'll go straight to bed like a good boy, and I'll be back to my usual scintillating self tomorrow.”

Kamui got up to join him at the door, reaching out one last time to his hand. “If you're sure... please take care of yourself, you make me and Leo worry sometimes.”

Zero gave her one last sleepy smile, gently squeezing her hand before slipping through the door. “I know. Good day, Lady Kamui.”

As the door clicked shut, Kamui turned back to her bed to clean up the mess she'd made. Picking up the bloodied cloth, she sighed and went to rinse it out. To think he had come back from an overnight mission, seen her note and thought it necessary to come up to her, without taking time to rest or clean up... perhaps he wasn't the most sensible man when sleep-deprived. She should talk to him at some point about that, or perhaps to Leo to make sure he wasn't sending him out too often.

… it was nice, though, to know that Zero liked her enough to come see her despite all that; she didn't doubt that if it had been earlier in their relationship, he would have thrown the note away and collapsed on his bed without even changing. It probably was a good thing he came after all, if only so she could clean his wound. Thinking about how he looked, watching her do her best at cleaning it, and leaning into her hand like a sleepy cat... he had been really cute.

She kind of wished he had stayed.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> forgot to post something last week. whoops.  
> This one's a little bit of a cheat, since it's just a variation on the amie/skinship room stuff, which I've done before... but come on, sleepy cat!Zero. All of the sleepy waifus and hasubandos are adorable.


	4. battle arena

  
Laslow's footwork really was impressive. Kamui had always admired it during battle, but now that she was experiencing it first hand, she was more frustrated than impressed.

“Haha, careful there, Lady Kamui, I almost had you on the ground,” Laslow laughed as he dodged her sword swing, his own weapon twirling in his hand. “Your moves are usually pretty graceful, so you should be able to keep up. What's the matter?”

“When I get you, Laslow, I will shut that pretty mouth of yours with my foot,” Kamui scowled, but she couldn't keep the laughter from her voice as she stepped up her pace. The army was currently in a rare peaceful time, but it wouldn't do to let their skills atrophy. So today they were holding a small tournament in the arena, with everyone pairing up to see how they did against each other's styles. Earlier she had watched Nyx and Odin curse up a storm, and Selena and Zero had a race on their horses to see who could complete an obstacle course first. Effie and Benny had just finished an impressive wrestling match in full armour, and right now Kamui was in the middle of a fast-paced sword battle with Marx's retainer.

Kamui was aware that there were many people watching their match – she could hear Odin and Selena cheering and booing Laslow respectively, and she had seen Keaton and Shura watching nearby earlier, before a low kick by Laslow forced her to concentrate once more.

Sweat was running down both of their faces now, and Kamui was trying to control her breathing as she slipped in close to her opponent's guard. Laslow just grinned as they almost danced together, their swords locked tight. Kamui shifted her weight enough to make them disengage, and as she spun on her foot she caught sight of the wolfskin and adventurer once more. There was another person who had joined them, also with white hair. She caught his blue eye--

She had spent too much time distracted; all she saw was a blur of Laslow's face as he got right into her space, and then next thing in her line of sight was the sky.

“You almost had me, milady... a shame you slipped up there...” Laslow panted as he reached out a hand to her to help her up.

“Tch... yeah... you win, still,” The fall had slightly winded Kamui, a few moments passing before she took the hand offered and was pulled up. She stumbled slightly when she got to her feet, so Laslow put an arm around her upper back.

“Well, you promised that my prize for winning was going out to lunch tomorrow, so I'll be holding you to that.” He was grinning as they started to move towards the benches nearby. “But what distracted you in the end, any...” Laslow started to ask, but something over her shoulder caught his attention. Kamui turned around, wiping sweat from her eyes to see what it was.

Zero was walking towards them, holding something in his hand. His gaze lingered on where Laslow's arm on her before smirking at them. “A good fight, you two. Very enthralling to watch. He didn't cause you any lasting harm, did he, Lady Kamui?”

Her face was red from exertion, so luckily she couldn't flush any more at what she must look like. “No, no... it's fine. Just need... to catch my breath...”

Zero hummed as he turned his attention back to her opponent. “Good to hear. I'm sure Prince Xander may have had something to say if he had. Speaking of the man, Peri said that you were both needed by him later on – perhaps you should go clean yourself up, hm?”

Laslow didn't move for a moment, watching Zero for some reason Kamui couldn't guess at. When the outlaw frowned slightly, the younger man gave a cheeky smile and withdrew his arm. “I guess so. I can leave Lady Kamui to your tender care, I trust?”

“Of course.” Zero's smile was rather hard looking, and it stayed that way until Laslow gave Kamui a quick bow and left.

Not quite sure what had just happened, Kamui starting slowly walking back to the bench, where she had left a jug of water. “Really, Zero, I'm fine... almost have my breath back, now... see?”

Zero turned back to her immediately, his smile turning more genuine. “Very convincing. Still, you should take some time to rest. You two were going full-out for a long time.”

He stayed standing as she lowered herself onto the bench, sighing as her muscles still twitched. She took a long pull from the water jug, and then splashed some water onto her face, hating the feeling of drying sweat. She was rubbing at her eyes as they still stung a little, when a towel was held in front of her face – apparently what Zero had been holding the entire time. “Oh... thank you. I must look a mess.”

“You look good.”

Kamui had already begun wiping at her face, but those words made her look up. She was covered in sweat and dirt from the ground, she just splashed water over herself, and she knew her hair must be a mess. “Bit mean to tease a loser like that, don't you think?”

“No, you really do look, uh, good,” Zero turned his face away for a moment as he cleared his throat, and Kamui stared as something like a blush coloured his cheeks. “I mean that you look like you've worked hard. It's good to see a royal fighting just as hard as their subjects. And you also looked good during the match. It's rare to get to see you like that when our lives aren't in danger.”

Kamui tried not to squirm from the praise he was giving. “Of course I work hard, I don't want to be left behind by everyone as they progress, and I want to be able to protect you all if needed.”

She went to stand back up, but the short amount of time she'd spent sitting down had caused her muscles to cool down too quickly. She probably would have fallen over if Zero's arm hadn't shot out to catch her. “Damn it... I'm still not good enough yet, if a little practice bout has wiped me out this much. Sorry, Zero.”

“It's fine, you just need to stretch out properly.” Zero moved his arm to go around her upper back, much like Laslow's had been earlier. “Let me walk you to the bathing hall; you should feel better after a soak.”

“Are you going to wash my back for me?” Kamui asked, a tired grin covering her face as she leaned into its support.

Zero grinned back as they started walking, his grip shifting subtly to keep her upright. “I think the other ladies already there might object. Charlotte might still be around sulking after her loss to Mozu, perhaps ask her to help you out.”

His arm was heavier than Laslow's, and was a warm, comforting weight. She may have walked slower than she really needed towards the hall in order to keep it there as long as possible.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had grand plans for writing last weekend... but a migraine kinda ruined that. So this work will probably be updated more often than the others for now, as I have a few banked up for final edits - sorry


	5. team bonds

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Originally these weren't really meant to be part of a continuous story, but it's kinda turned out that way now. Eh, whatever :P  
> *STILL* don't have the localisation copies, so sorry if the place name makes no sense, since I'm basing it off of what it was on my Japanese copies.

  
She knew that she shouldn't keep spying on other people's conversations, but Kamui couldn't help but notice how well they got on with each other. 'They' being Zero and Azura; how long had they been friends for? She did recall that during the siege at Notredeere Azura had backed up Zero as he fired round after round at the archery bastilla... at Kamui's order, in fact. So since then, perhaps.

Azura was perched on a bench outside of the mess hall, with Zero standing in front of her with his arms crossed as usual. Something the singer said made him laugh, and Kamui was surprised at how sincere it sounded. Zero's whole demeanour was relaxed over all, and from what she could see of his face, the smile he wore was gentle. Kamui wasn't sure if she'd ever seen him smile quite like that at someone that wasn't her before.

It was good that her comrades were getting along. The closer everyone was, the better they could fight together. It was something to be encouraged... so why was she feeling uncomfortable at how close the two were to each other?

Before she could think on it too much longer, Azura turned her head and finally noticed Kamui nearby. “Kamui, is everything alright?”

Zero looked over to see her, the soft smile quickly replaced with a grin. “Lady Kamui, a pleasure to see you. Must be my lucky day, to be in the company of two lovely ladies.”

Azura's mouth twitched up at his words, but her eyes didn't move from Kamui's face.

“Hello Zero, Azura. Every thing's fine, just... wanted to see how you two were. Figured it was a good opportunity to talk to you both.”

While Zero answered in his usual cheeky manner, Azura continued to watch her. Kamui found herself trying not to fidget; those golden eyes had a way of seeming to pierce one's very soul.

The singer finally looked away as she slipped off the bench. “Sorry you two, but I need to head over to the forge; my lance should be fixed by now, and I want to make sure it's balanced right.” She patted Zero's arm, who nodded in response, and Kamui absolutely did not stare. Azura drew up next to Kamui, gave her a last look before murmuring, “It's not what you think,” and walked away.

Watching her leave, Kamui found that she had to loosen the hands tightened at her sides before she turned back to Zero. “Sorry, if I interrupted anything before.”

“Not at all, we were just gossiping about the army. Probably best that you broke us up before we got too carried away.” Zero moved a little closer, his grin slipping slightly as he looked her over. “Is everything okay, though? You seem a little... off.”

“Yes, I'm fine, don't know why both of you think there's something wrong,” Kamui replied quickly, turning her face away from his gaze. Zero was having none of it, however, and Kamui found her chin being held in a gentle grasp as he tilted her head back.

“Forgive me, Milady, but I don't quite believe you.” Zero looked into her face for what seemed like a lifetime before letting his fingers slip away. “You don't have to tell me what's wrong... but know that if you wanted to talk to someone, I don't mind lending an ear. I even promise to limit my comments to being mildly provocative.”

That made Kamui smile. “That's generous of you, Zero. I'm okay, really, but I'll keep it in mind for another time.”

“Make sure you do. And keep that smile on your face; as lovely as it can be when you're flustered, smiles suit you better.” Zero winked before he turned and walked off towards the battle arena. Which was for the best, because if he had seen how red Kamui's face had just turned he probably wouldn't have been able to resist commenting and making it redder.

It was funny how Zero's usual teasing remarks didn't bother her now, but seemingly sincere comments and compliments had her blushing all over. And then seeing him act in a similar way to someone else... was it just because it was another woman? Zero had always been flirty and teasing with both genders, so if she had seen a similar scene between him and Kaze, or Shura even... possibly. But Azura in particular was an amazing woman; graceful, elegant, that right amount of mysterious to catch your interest... while Kamui was not. And he hadn't seemed like he was acting his usual self with her. It was more like he was with Leo, like he respected Azura.

Did Zero respect _her_? He trusted her now, but was that the same as respect? Kamui truly didn't know, but she wasn't sure if someone who respected her could make her feel like this, feel this... tight confusion when she saw him with someone else. Leo clearly didn't feel the same way when he saw Zero or Odin interacting with her; he was secure enough in their respect and loyalty that he didn't seem to feel any sort of jealousy when she or others took up their time.

Oh gods, she was jealous. How pathetic.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I actually really like Zero and Aqua/Azura's interactions... and am a little bummed out at how 'bleh' their S-rank turned out to be. Maybe I'll have a go doing my own version some day...


	6. offerings

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one is a bit of a filler, sorry. But the two should finally get their act together next time :P

  
Lilith's shrine had become a second home for Kamui, and it was where she could go to be left undisturbed if she was particularly stressed out. Her room was private, of course, and people usually only entered when she called them over, but no one else came here.

Right now she wanted time to go other her thoughts and feelings, but didn't want to let herself fall too deep into them, which was why she was saying them out loud to Lilith herself. Even though they were rather embarrassing.

“I mean, is it normal to be jealous over other people's friends?” She was currently asking, watching dust motes be caught in the sunbeam leaking from the roof. “I can hardly talk, after all – I make it my business to know everyone in this group and become friends with them. But, it's just... Zero doesn't trust easily. It took me forever to get him to open up, and even now he still jokes around at times. Not maliciously, but it does make it hard sometimes to know when he's being serious.”

“ _So he teases you often?_ ” Lilith asked, her tail drifting slowly back and forth as she nibbled on the berries Kamui had offered to her earlier.

“Well... sometimes. But sometimes when I think he's teasing, he's actually being sincere, and... that's even more confusing. I've gotten used to dealing with his deflecting jokes, but when he's actually serious with me, I get flustered.” Kamui sighed and leaned against the pillar at her back.

Lilith floated closer to her, a smile evident in her eyes. “ _It sounds to me like you like Zero.”_

“Of course I do, he's an amazing person. People just don't see it because he's made so many safeguards to keep them away.” She looked over at Lilith and noticed she was now grinning. “Wait... oh, you mean-- ah, no, I don't... I don't think, uh. Oh, I don't know.”

“ _You're jealous of who keeps his company. You worry over him and what he's thinking. You think he's cute when he's sleepy, and you like how his arms look when he's drawing a bow_.” The Astral Dragon came right up next to her and bumped her shoulder. “ _You like him.”_

Kamui groaned, buried her hands in her hair and leaned her forehead against her raised knees. “Well, crap. I've fallen for a flirt. That's going to go well.” Lilith only hummed and started to move away, when a sound near the entrance of the shrine caused them both to look that way. After a few moments, someone made their way in, and Kamui sat up straighter as it turned out to be the man they were just discussing.

The outlaw seemed wary of actually entering the room fully, so he hovered by the archway. “Apologies, Lady Kamui. I don't mean to interrupt your solitude, but Lord Leo requested that you come by Prince Xander's quarters. Apparently they want to go over the next movement of the army.”

Kamui sighed as she stood up, stretching out her arms. “Guess I better go over there in a minute. I've been bothering Lilith for too long anyway.” She made her way over to the door, and smiled at him. “You know, you could have come in.”

“It's a sacred place, milady, I didn't want to sully it.” Was his response as he made to make room for her to pass.

She frowned and tugged his arm to make him come into the shrine. “Stop that; you'd do no such thing. After all, it's not really a shrine, it's just where Lilith stays.”

Lilith had come closer, eyeing Zero carefully. “ _Hello, Zero. You're welcome here, as Lady Kamui says. I've heard a lot about you.”_

Kamui whipped her head to the dragon, about to tell her to be quiet when Zero laughed. “Oh really? Nothing too shocking, I hope.”

“ _Just that you're a bit of a tease, and have a habit of confusing Kamui on occasion,”_ was her cheeky response, and Kamui was quick to push Zero back towards the door.

“Anyway, best get to that meeting, right? I'll talk to you _later_ , Lilith.”

“ _Goodbye Lady Kamui, nice to meet you Zero. Take care of her.”_ Lilith waved her tail as she drifted back to her usual resting place, laughter evident in her voice.

“Will do,” Zero called out while he let himself be moved outside. “Well, that's a side of you I haven't seen, milady. Who knew you could be rude?”

“Shush, she was being cheeky,” Kamui retorted, finally relaxing now that they were away from the dragon and any more sneaky comments she could make. She started walking towards Xander's quarters, and Zero fell into step with her. She didn't know if the retainers were also included in the talks, but she was happy that he stayed with her for now.

After a few moments silence, however, Zero spoke up again. “Lady Kamui... my teasing doesn't bother you that much, does it?”

“What?” Kamui looked at him, and was surprised to see a slight frown on his face. “No, don't be silly. It's just how you are... besides, I tease you as well in return.”

“But I confuse you too, apparently.” He looked back to the path they were walking before offering, “Perhaps I should give you a break from my personality.”

“No!” Zero turned back when she stopped walking, surprised at her sudden exclamation. “I enjoy your company! It's just... sometimes you say things and I'm not entirely certain if you're just joking or being serious. I thought I knew you better now, but perhaps I don't if I still can't make you out.”

Zero looked at her for a long time, his expression closed off before a small smile crossed his face. “I hope you can put up with my behaviour for a bit longer, while I try and sort myself out. I promise I won't take too long.” With those cryptic words, he gave a small bow and walked back in the direction of the mess hall.

Kamui watched him go, tempted to call out and make him explain himself more, but she knew he would only give her riddles for answers. Sighing, she continued on, her head even more full of thoughts and feelings on Zero than before.

 

 


	7. confession

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Look out, the dialogue here is so sappy you may get stuck to it.  
> This is a bit of a mix of the original male!Kamui S-rank dialogue (because aside from the 'but I'm a guy bit', don't see why the rest didn't go in female!Kamui's version), what I've seen from the localisation script, and original stuff thrown in. Also got rid of the actual 'marriage proposal' bit, since Nintendo moves a little fast for my tastes.

 

It wasn't that Zero was ignoring Kamui as such, since he still was near her during battles, and he always greeted her when she called out... but he had stopped going out of his way to talk to her like he had before. She hadn't realised just how often they used to talk until she would find herself looking up from a meal and expecting Zero to come up at some point, or walking around the barracks listening out for his voice calling her name. She had been tempted to call him to her room, except that she didn't want to force him to come to her if he really was trying to keep some distance.

Kamui was starting to get anxious, though. She missed his saucy jokes and sly smile, and the warm feeling that grew in her chest when that smile turned soft. She knew that she had it bad, and that perhaps Zero had noticed it and was trying to keep some space for that reason. But... if only she could talk to him about it, maybe try and reassure him...

She was walking towards the stables, actually looking to see if Leo was around, but the entire building was empty of people. She wandered in, and after a bit saw the horse that Zero had been using since he switched classes; a dark bay mare with a rather calm temper compared to some of the other animals they had. Kamui walked over and held out her palm to be sniffed, and laughed as her fingers were lipped at. “No, sorry, I don't have any treats... I'll bring some next time. Hopefully your master will have some when he comes by.”

The mare seemed to understand her as she huffed out a deep sigh, and turned her head away. Kamui stroked along her strong neck; the horse tolerated Kamui's petting but didn't seem to be particularly interested. After a while her ears pricked up, and she let out a soft wicker at whatever had caught her attention. Suspecting she knew who it was, Kamui slowly turned around to the stable's entrance.

Sure enough, Zero was leaning against the wall, a small smile on his face. “If you don't have any food to bribe her with, she doesn't particularly care for you. Bonnie knows I have the sweetest treats going, she'll forever be loyal to me.” He walked up to them, reaching into his pocket and pulling out an apple. No sooner had it appeared before Bonnie took it between her teeth and chomped away.

Kamui watched the two interact for a moment before suddenly thinking that maybe Zero wished she wasn't there, and had originally been waiting for her to leave. “I'll leave you two alone, I just wandered in here without any real reason...” She moved away from the stall and started to walk towards the door, when Zero's voice called out.

“Wait, milady... do you have time for a chat?”

She turned around, and saw that his smile had become rather strained. “It's okay, Zero, you don't need to talk to me if you don't want to.”

“That's not--” He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. “I didn't mean to make it seem like I was avoiding you, but... I guess I was. I would never not appreciate your company, Lady Kamui.”

Uncertain, she walked back to the man, looking up into his face. “Can you tell me what I did to make you want to avoid me?”

“You did nothing, milady, don't think that. It was more what _I_ was doing, and feeling. I needed some time to work out what I actually wanted. And if it was even...” He paused for a moment, clearly thinking something over before he addressed her again. “Lady Kamui, what do you think of people with unmentionable pasts?”

“You're talking about yourself, aren't you. What's wrong, bringing your past up all of a sudden?” Kamui took another step closer, unsure if she was allowed to reach out to him. He hadn't yet said why he had been avoiding her, and she didn't want to risk scaring him away, as silly as it sounded.

“Well, I had recently got to thinking,” Zero murmured, looking away, “If such a person could ever be able to build a future for themselves... perhaps with someone who understood, but I never believed that such a person could exist. That is, until you.”

Kamui just stared as he continued on. “To think that a person could accept that I had such a dark history, be able to see past it and put their trust in me... I don't think that there is anyone else but you who could do so.”

Zero finally looked back at her, and she was amazed to see such raw emotion on his face. “I'm well aware that our social positions couldn't be more different – you a princess of Nohr, me a worthless street rat that clawed its way from life in the slums. I tried to think of it as the same to how I feel towards Lord Leo, but this is different to the loyalty I have for him. I... I've fallen for you, Lady Kamui. And I don't think I can pretend otherwise any more.

“That's why I've been avoiding you. I see you and all I want to do is be by your side, protect you, take care of you and spoil you rotten. Where I once used to like seeing your face play out all sorts of emotions, now seeing anything but happiness makes my chest tight. All I want to do is make you happy. All I want is you.”

“Zero...” Kamui was desperate to say something else, but she was dumbstruck by his words. To think Zero could have been holding all this in, and had such thoughts about her...

“Lady Kamui, do you think... you would ever consider being with me?” Kamui's mind was spinning so much that she was barely aware that she had been asked a question, until her delay in replying caused his expression to shutter close; a smile doing nothing to hide the dull look in his eye. “Well, I was aware that it would be highly unlikely... you would of course prefer a man with better prospects...”

“I...” Kamui finally broke through her shock, her hands reaching and out grabbing his cloak. “Wait, I... give me a moment.”

Zero looked down at her, posture stiff but at least the horrible look in his gaze had lifted. Taking a deep breath to try and calm her racing heart, she finally responded. “I know that you don't really like talking about your past. And that one day you may be able to tell me, or perhaps never. I don't care. As long as we can talk about ourselves right now, and our future, then... I want to be with you.”

The wide-eyed look Zero had was again something Kamui had never seen before, and he opened and closed his mouth several times before actually speaking. “You're sure? You're not... are you really okay with the idea? You're sure you wouldn't regret it?”

“I won't regret it. You've surprised me, I won't lie,” Kamui felt her throat closing up, emotions starting to choke her, but she was determined to get her thoughts across. “But that's because I didn't think that you felt the same way. I thought that maybe you had noticed I had grown attached to you, and that was why you were staying away. I want to be with you.”

Zero looked down at her for a long moment before a gentle smile lit up his face. “... thank you... looks like I was right about you after all. You really are the only one.”

Kamui smiled back, her hands tightening on his cloak as she pulled herself closer. “I'm glad I met your expectations.” She closed her eyes as she let her forehead rest against his collarbone, when a soft touch at her arm made her look back up.

“Milady,” Zero voice was even warmer than normal, matching the look in his eye. “Can I... do you mind if I touch you?”

“Please.” She held herself still as his long fingers traced up her arms, and followed the line of her shoulders to her neck. She swallowed as one hand continued its journey up her throat and along her jaw to cup her cheek. His other hand slipped down her back, and slowly gathered her to his chest. The warmth he radiated immediately made her relax, and she breathed in deeply as her own arms went around his waist.

For a long moment they just stood like that, holding each other. Kamui would have been happy to stay like that forever, when she felt a soft pressure against her head. As she tilted her head up, she realised that Zero was pressing his lips against her hair. He trailed down further, kissing the skin on her forehead, next to her eye and her cheekbone. Anticipating his next move Kamui's eyes fell shut, but he stayed there, the hand on her jaw flexing slightly.

“Lady Kamui...” Zero whispered, his lips brushing against her face and driving her mad, “Can I kiss you?”

Not deigning to reply, she reached up with one hand, threaded her fingers through his hair and pulled him to her.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 'They probably would have stood like that for hours if Bonnie hadn't snorted and butted her head against Zero in impatience. She _knew_ he had another apple hidden away, sneaky human. They could keep exchanging breath _after_ she got her damn treats.'


	8. invitation

“Thank you for the tomes, Leo,” Kamui said, gathering them to her chest. “I think I'm ready for these ones, but I promise to try them out in the arena first.”

“Please do; we don't need to worry about you electrifying yourself out in the field when there are more than enough enemies who would be happy to do that for you.” Her brother sighed as he put the previous books she had borrowed away. “Did you have this afternoon free? I have nothing much planned, so we can go try them out now if you like.”

“Oh, uh... actually, I had planned to invite someone over. But definitely tomorrow,” Kamui added, making her way to the door.

“Is that someone Zero, by any chance?”

She paused, blushing slightly as she turned back to him. “Um. Maybe.”

Leo gave her a long look before huffing out a sigh. “Why am I not surprised. You two are doing well?” Before Kamui and Zero had told anyone that they were seeing each other, Leo had known. He knew the moment he saw them without a word being said. He had merely rolled his eyes and muttered 'finally' before telling Zero that he wasn't to slack off too much from his usual duties, and that Kamui needed to make sure she didn't play favourites.

Kamui smiled, looking down at the tomes in her arms. “Yeah... we're good. Still trying to get him to drop my title, but he'll get there.”

Leo snorted, sitting back down at his desk. “If that's the only issue you're having, I think you'll be okay. See you tomorrow.”

She waved as she left his room, and wandered over to the main army's quarters, in particular towards Zero's room. Hopefully he would be in, but otherwise she would just leave a note for him to invite him up. They had seen each other earlier in the mess hall, but since Kamui had been talking to Elise at the time and was determined not to miss anything she said (her little sister had a habit of talking at a rate previously unknown to mankind), Kamui had missed the opportunity to ask him then.

As it turned out, he wasn't in his room, so she pinned a note to his door and made her way back to her loft. She would spend some time going over the tomes Leo had got her, to try and see if she could work them out on her own first. Kamui opened her door, and movement caught her eye. Perhaps Jakob had come in to drop off some items for her...

… except it was Zero, who had been fiddling with something on the table. “Ah, you're back. I got you some flowers... that's the sort of thing lovers do, right? Here,” He turned around and smiled at her, holding out a small bunch of white flowers.

Both the flowers and tomes fell to the floor when Kamui ran over and threw herself at him, wrapping her arms around his shoulder. Zero laughed as his own arms slid around her waist, her momentum swinging them around slightly. “Well, hello to you too. I didn't know flowers would produce such an enthusiastic reaction.”

Kamui held on to him for a beat longer before letting herself slip down, and she picked up the flowers. “Sorry... thank you for the flowers, I didn't meant to make you drop them. I had just left you a note on your door, so I didn't expect you to be here already.”

“I had a feeling you were going to call me over today,” Zero said, taking hold of her hand as he sat down in a nearby chair. “I finished my duties early, so figured I might as well come over... you don't mind, do you?”

“Of course not!” Kamui replied, slipping between his knees and placing the bouquet on the table. “I love it when you're here with me. I only wish you could come by more often.”

The outlaw smiled up at her, lacing their fingers together. “It would be nice. I can stay for the whole afternoon... until dinner, at least.”

Kamui returned his smile and moved to sit on his lap. “It would be even better if you could stay longer...”

Zero laughed, and when she had settled she turned to see him smirking at her. “Lady Kamui, are you asking me to stay the night? How scandalous.”

She smiled, but looked away as she started to blush. “Uh, actually... I meant more that you should stay here... permanently.” There was silence for a while, and she felt her face go redder.

“You mean, move in?” Zero's voice sounded rather incredulous, and Kamui stared down at her knees.

“It's... too much, I know. You need your own space, not one shared with someone else.” Kamui sighed as she went to get back up. She had gone and pushed too far, and ruined a nice moment. But before she could move, the hand still intertwined with hers squeezed gently and Zero's free hand came to rest on her back. She turned back to see a rare look of wonder on his face.

“You want me to be here? Where anyone can see my belongings, and know that we're... really together?” The corners of Zero's mouth were twitching, like they wanted to stretch out into a smile but weren't sure if they were allowed. “That wouldn't-- you wouldn't be...”

Kamui frowned slightly as he let his sentence trail off. “What, be worried? Embarrassed? Were you going to say something like that?” He made no reply, which made her click her tongue as she took his face between her hands.

“Please stop thinking that you're not worth the same as anyone else in this army, or me. You know that I want to be with you... so, if you don't mind, please believe me when I say that I don't care what anyone else might think.” She brushed her thumbs over his cheekbones, smiling as his gaze softened. “You don't have to, but I would like it if you shared this loft with me.”

“Yes, milady; I will pack up things up tonight and move them here tomorrow,” Zero replied as he leaned in closer, resting their foreheads together and slipping his hands up her back.

“Also, if you're moving in, you really need to drop the honorifics.”

“Yes... Kamui,” he murmured as he tilted his mouth to hers.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The more I write these cutesy, fluffy chapters, the more it feels OOC. Maybe the next one will be darker... hmmmmm....


	9. bad night

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A little bit angst wormed its way into this pile of fluff. Sorry :P

 

The door was almost too heavy for her to push open as Kamui finally got back to her loft, and she resisted groaning as she finally got it ajar. She had spent the entire evening training with Camilla, working on her tome skills, and she hurt all over. Despite being her elder sister's favourite sibling, the woman refused to go easy on her; her proud smiles as Kamui dodged strike after deadly strike were satisfying, but also a little scary. Kamui was grateful for the assistance, of course, but all she wanted now was her bed.

As she shut the door behind her, she looked over and smiled as she saw that Zero was curled up under the covers, already asleep. Normally, when presented with such an opportunity, she would go over and pet him like cat until he woke up. But since she only wanted to collapse next to him herself, she slipped off her armour and went to wash her face.

Once she had changed into her sleeping clothes, she approached the bed. Only then did she notice the tight expression on Zero's face. It seemed that he was having a nightmare.

He had warned her of them when he first moved in, and while she had yet to see him going through one, she knew they still came to him occasionally. When she asked after them, Zero only smiled and said that being next to her when he awoke was enough to calm him, but she wished she could do something.

Seeing him suffer through one now, Kamui was determined to try and do just that. Carefully, she knelt on the mattress and started to reach out. Before she touched his shoulder, however, she hesitated – and in that instant Zero woke up.

In a flash Kamui found herself thrown to the mattress, held down with one hand on her chest as he reached under the pillow for... something. He clearly couldn't find it as he paused, blinked, and finally seemed to recognise her.

“... oh gods...” he gasped out, pulling his hand away from her as if burnt, and shrunk back to the edge of the bed. “Gods... Kamui, sorry... I'm sorry--”

Kamui didn't hesitate now, throwing her arms out and pulling Zero to her. “Hush, it's fine, it's fine.”

“I thought-- I would have...” his voice was raw as he pushed weakly at her grip. “I used to sleep with a knife, I could have--”

“Well, you didn't,” Kamui interrupted, threading a hand through his hair to hold his head against her shoulder. “Even if you had, you would have realised. You wouldn't have hurt me.”

“How can you be so sure...” Zero was stiff in her arms, but he had stopped trying to get away.

“You always check your line of sight in battle, even when it's all gone to hell and we're all in a frenzy. You would have held the blade to my neck, and you would have checked.” She licked her lips, tightening her grip before continuing, “I would have been safe. I _am_ safe. You're safe, too.”

Zero shuddered slightly before burying his face in her neck, his arms finally going around her.

For a long time they just stayed like that, Kamui pinned under his weight as he slowly brought himself under control. Her fingers combed through his damp white hair, pressing kisses to his crown occasionally as she waited. Eventually, he pulled back. “Sorry.”

“Don't be,” she murmured, stroking his weary face. “I don't suppose you want to talk about what you saw?”

Zero shook his head, reaching down to pull the blankets over her. “It's an old dream... Realising it was you I was holding down like that was much more horrifying.”

Kamui hummed, lying down next to him. “I shouldn't have tried to wake you; you must have thought you were being attacked. Next time, I'll wait until you're with me before I reach out.”

Zero was quiet for a long time, before he finally replied, “As long as you're next to me... I'm okay.”

Sensing he was done talking about it, Kamui moved closer and closed her eyes. When she felt shy fingers trace over her palm, she immediately grabbed his hand and pulled it to her, pretending she didn't hear his breath catch as he pressed his forehead to hers.

 

 


	10. collecting resources

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ... oh hi, there.  
>  I've been exhausted recently, work is super draining. Heading back home for a few weeks soon, so I plan to use that time sleeping in and writing, so hopefully a lot more stuff will be coming up in the next month or two... to make up for this short-ass update.

After making sure the new shipment of weapons and staves came in, it was time for Kamui to make the rounds. She always enjoyed the task, as it gave her a chance to check in on most of the army's members. She had spent some time chatting with Charlotte over by the lottery shop, and she'd caught Peri and Arthur discussing pairing up during the next battle. She had just left Benny by the emerald mine and was currently walking down the path to where the berry field had been set up.

Kamui actually sort of wished she could take a shift in here herself; now that the bushes had become well established, there were some nice shady spots where one could take a sneaky nap while the faint sounds of life in the barracks went on. But she had to spend as much time as she could with her siblings instead, preparing strategies for the endless possibilities that could arise.

Reaching the gate sectioning off the crops, she paused to check who was currently tending the bushes, but she couldn't see them. Making her way through, she made her way through to the centre of the field, and soon found the person in charge of the day's harvest.

It looked like Zero had a similar idea to herself, as he was currently stretched out behind the larger bushes, his cloak balled up under his head as a pillow and a half-full basket of berries by his feet. Moving slowly on her bare feet, she picked up the basket and held it in her lap as she knelt down beside him. She started sorting through for particularly large fruit when the man finally roused from his nap.

“... well hello there. Hard at work, I see,” she murmured, holding out one berry to his face.

Zero blinked at the offering for a moment before opening his mouth. Kamui placed the berry between his teeth and watched as he chewed. He slowly sat up and leaned back on his elbows. “I'll have you know, I worked very hard to gather all that up. Just look at the fruits of my labour.”

Snickering at his terrible joke, Kamui pulled out another juicy berry and offered it to her partner. He opened his mouth once more, but this time he took the tips of her fingers between his lips as well. She kept her hand still as Zero bit through the fruit, though drew it back in distaste as the juice stained her fingers. “Hey now, this stuff makes a mess.”

“My apologies.” Zero licked his lips slyly as he sat up further and leaned towards her. “Let me get that for you.” He took her hand back and before she could say anything, he had pulled the digits back into his mouth, his hot tongue gliding over them. Kamui could feel her face warm up from it, but otherwise tried to not let her expression change as he sucked lightly. Eventually he let her fingers slip away, and he threaded their hands together. “Is that better?”

“I think you only made it worse.”

Zero grinned and pulled her towards him. “You can clean up later. Come lie with me for a while, first... you have some time to spare, right?”

Not bothering to protest, she put the basket aside and followed him down. Before any rest was taken, however, more than a few tart kisses were exchanged beneath the dappled shade.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was written purely to make the bad fruit pun, and to make a point about how 'cutely' feeding someone is actually kinda gross :P


	11. good morning

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OH HI THERE. FANCY SEEING YOU HERE.

  
When Kamui woke up, she was surprised at how well-rested she felt. The last few days had been rough with war meetings, training and a chance encounter with a marauding group, and she had been dragging herself out of bed in the mornings. But this time the morning sun had yet to start colouring the sky, and although she was still sleepy she could have easily gotten up for the day. Except that she was really comfortable, her back was especially warm, and there was a weight over her waist...

A sigh behind her alerted her to the source, and she smiled; the solid warmth behind her was Zero's body, and it was his arm that pinned her slightly.

She and Zero hadn't had much time together during the last few days either, but last night as soon as Kamui had come through the door he had taken one look at her, pulled her to the bed and gave her the best massage she had ever experienced. He'd removed aches she didn't even realised she had on top of the ones that had been dragging her down, and when she tried to get up to repay the favour somehow, she found out she had apparently turned into liquid. Zero had chuckled, helped her change, and put her to bed with a kiss. She had fallen asleep even before he had pulled away.

Now slightly more aware, Kamui realised that his other arm was under her head, and she reached out to pull his hand to her. She gently played with his fingers, feeling slight nicks of old scars and callouses on his palm, and she smiled to herself once more as she brought it to her lips. As she did so, the arm around her tightened and pulled her back to Zero's chest, and the man in question pressed his own lips to her shoulder. She laughed as she ran her other hand over his corded forearm. “I thought you were still asleep.”

Zero hummed as he spread his hand over her ribs, burrowing his face in her neck. “I was... and then you started romping around with my hand. Do you feel better this morning?”

“Yes, thank you,” Kamui sighed as he felt his fingers start to draw circles on her stomach. “I didn't know it was possible to become that relaxed.”

“Glad to have been of service,” he replied, moving to kiss her shoulder once more. He gently squeezed her hand that held his as he continued to caress her belly, movements languid in his half-awake state.

After a while, however, Kamui found herself growing restless. Zero's touches were no more daring or sensual than what they usually shared when just kissing, but she found herself wanting more. She carefully shifted a leg to slope her body out and encourage him to move his hand. Soon enough his broad palm slid to her waist, over her hip and settled for a while on her thigh. When it moved once more, fingers slipping inwards and teasing sensitive skin, she couldn't help the small noise that left her mouth.

Zero shifted his head to smile against her shoulder. “What's wrong? You seem to be getting a little... dissatisfied with just cuddling.”

“And whose fault do you think that is?” She sighed, arching her back to push back against him. As she did so, she was able to feel his own 'dissatisfaction' starting to arise, and she smirked to herself.

The fingers started to gather the material of her nightgown, bunching it up as Zero bussed the skin under his mouth. “Shall we continue, then?” In reply Kamui tilted her head back, exposing her throat while also rolling her hips. He groaned softly and grazed his teeth over her shoulder blade.

Their movements stayed slow, but each touch stirred the fire more and more. Warm palms cupped her breasts through her clothing before slowly creeping underneath to caress the flesh directly. Kamui reached back with one hand and pulled lightly at her partner's snowy hair, voice hitching on her breath as teeth nipped at her throat while fingers pinched her nipples. She covered one of Zero's hands with her own and slowly, slowly guided it down; both moaned when they reached her slick heat.

Eventually Kamui shuddered against his fingers, with Zero's mouth whispering sweet nothings against her ear. Resisting the call of obliviousness, she managed to roll herself over to face her lover, whose grinning face did nothing to hide how blown his pupil had become.

“Hey now, just lie back and enjoy-- ohhh,” Zero groaned satisfyingly as her hand came to hold him, quickly slipping into his pants and beginning to stroke. Exhaustion made her technique sloppy, but Zero's murmured encouragements against her mouth made it clear that he didn't mind. It wasn't long at all before he pulled her to him and thrusted into her grip, his soft moans making Kamui's heart sing with pride.

They lay there for a moment, catching their breath and looking into each other's eyes. Eventually Zero sighed and snuggled into her arms. “That's not a bad way to start the day, now is it?”

Kamui chuckled as she combed through his hair. “Except that now I need another nap.”

“Good thing we have time for one, then... sweet dreams...” A wet kiss was pressed to her neck before he settled against her, breathing evening out. She wasn't far behind him, eyelids closing to the slowly lightening sky beyond the window.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guys, theses last couple of months have been so damn hectic, I haven't been able to do anything story-wise, really. I went back home for a few weeks, FINALLY got hold of the localised version of the game, but since I've been back I haven't even been able to finish it. Recently got promoted to a senior role at work, which has created a constant state of exhaustion which I find hard to get out of.
> 
> So, this may be the last story update from me for a little while yet, but I'm absolutely going to finish the other story, don't worry. For this one, I've moreorless used up the ideas I had that didn't fit into anything else, but if any of you have some prompts...? Not just for this pairing, I'm pretty game to do anyone (bar a few), and it doesn't even need to have Kamui as one of the other characters. Not saying that they'd make up post anything quicker, but then I might have more variety to post up for you.
> 
> Also... would anyone be interested in reading my thoughts on the localisation vs the Japanese version? I have THOUGHTS and FEELINGS on some of the choices of censorship, rewriting of personalities and voice actors, and would like to know other people's as well.

**Author's Note:**

> This will be updated when I'm still working on chapters for other fics and don't have anything ready for them to publish.


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